Roasting methods have involved the disposing of food items in a sideways disposition upon a spit or pan, or sideways upon a rack positioned over an open flame. Such methods provide heat to the food item that is not evenly distributed across the surface of the food item, which is believed to result in the uneven cooking of the food item. Such methods also provide substantive direct contact between a heated surface and the food item, which is believed to cause uneven cooking and result in burning of portions of the food item. It is also believed that such methods are disadvantageously time consuming and labor intensive because the methods require constant monitoring of the cooking process and rotation of the food item.